The dichotomy & cultural phenomenon of peacemaker

The DECU had a lot of ups & down throughout its tortuous run but the one that almost everyone seems to concur was a home run through & through is the hit hbo max series, peacemaker. But just what is it about the series that turned it into the cultural phenomenon it is today? Well, ultimately I think there are a number of different factors that contributed to it becoming so iconic.

One of the first things that comes to mind is the cast they’ve built for the series. I honestly never gave him much credit as an actor before but even I have to concede this is easily john cena’s finest performance to date. Especially in episode seven, you could really feel the raw emotions that accompany the difficult decision he had to make in the moment. It’s honestly a shame this series never got the awards recognition it deserved but I think this is a performance that’s borderline emmy-worthy. There was not a single iota of a second in which I doubted him as a man bogged down by his troubled past but resolving to try & do some good regardless (in his own warped way).

& it’s not just him; I mean the entire cast is in top form here. I suppose I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention freddie stroma’s almost ethereal turn as vigilante. Growing up, I watched the criminally-underrated time after time, my first introduction to him as an actor, & I was hooked from the get-go partly thanks to his performance as the iconic h.g. wells. Naturally, you can imagine my disappointment when it got the axe after just one season but he soon proved to be so much more than just a one-trick pony. It’s clear from the get-go just how much of a psychopath he is & yet somehow he’s able to make the character not just likable but in fact a fan favorite. A lesser actor might have botched it but he manages to make his character not only believable but also somehow endearing. Even when he’s doing the wrong things or just making a complete fool of himself, you somehow can’t help but root for the guy. & I think he’s definitely relatable for many people across the globe who are not the most adept at picking up on social cues or comforting people during trying times. Perhaps someday he’ll get the emmy recognition he deserves but I’ll settle for him returning in season two (whenever that finally makes it to our screens).

Briefly touching on everyone else, you’ve got chukwudi iwuji joining the cast as team leader clemson murn, robert patrick as the white dragon & danielle brooks as adebayo alongside returning cast members jennifer holland as harcourt & steve agee as dyebeard. It’s really an ensemble piece as every single cast member gets their moment to shine. The truth is harcourt & dyebeard were constantly sidelined in the movies but here they finally have a chance to get fleshed out & feel like real, three-dimensional characters & the result is incredible. The truth is he actually did dye his beard for the role but once you hear the in-universe reason why, it makes you feel for the character in a way you never thought you would. Even harcourt, who starts out as a stoic buzzkill who sees this as nothing more than a mission, eventually starts to warm to the rest of the team & makes it clear she’s much more than just a pretty face.

& of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the theme song, the brilliance of which cannot be overstated. What gunn has done here is incredible, not just plucking an obscure norwegian rock band out of obscurity but also creating this iconic dance sequence that has been imitated in countless talent shows & on social media platforms around the world. Especially in an era where theme songs seem to be headed for extinction, it’s impressive that he can not only pick out a good one but pair it with an iconic opening sequence that caught on like wildfire. Plus, you got to admit the t-1000 dancing with a stoic look on his face is something you never knew you wanted to see until you got it. Unfortunately, sources tell me that was not in fact freddie under the mask which is a shame because I would’ve loved to see get in on the action. Apparently, it was just easier to get a stunt double. But hopefully that’s something they can rectify in season two. Even some of the minor (but beloved) characters who only appear in one episode join in on the fun & it’s just a blast to watch. We all thought it was impossible to make an opening sequence fans would not want to skip but against all odds, he managed to pull off the impossible. & that is exactly why this sequence will undoubtedly continually live on in the cultural zeitgeist for generations to come.

Even putting that aside, there’s enough to keep pretty much everyone enthralled. There have been a lot of themes the dceu has tackled over the years but this is the first time the franchise has covered real-life issues such as white supremacy & even childhood trauma. Whereas the films feel so grand & widespread, the series feels much more grounded (at least as grounded as you can get in the dc universe) as it explores themes that hit a bit closer to home for many fans around the globe. A lesser writer would’ve trivialized such topics but he does a fantastic job of addressing each & every one with the gravitas it deserves (while also incorporating a tad bit of his trademark humor). & it’s definitely relatable for people around the world who have to deal with relatives whose perceptions on existence are questionable at best & downright racist at worst. You may not be able to shoot them in the head point blank but watching this series is the next best thing.

It even makes the titular character a much more relatable person. I mean back in the suicide squad, he just comes off as a d-bag version of captain america with zero self-awareness & a loyalty to his country but here you get to learn more about why he’s so screwed up & how he tries to get pas it. The fact that they’re able to make you sympathize with a character like that speaks volumes about the quality of writing in this series as well as cena’s performance.

There’s a bit of a spice girls element to the whole series too. Maybe this wasn’t intentional but by the end of the series it’s made pretty clear. Alone, they’re each a bit damaged & messed up but together, they make one hell of a team & what’s more, they make each other better. I think that’s part of the whole theme of the series: your chosen family is far more important than your blood family (at least when your blood family consists of a virulent racist who wants you six feet under). He may have been brought up by this poor excuse for a man but by finding this family in argus, he’s able to make that choice to move past his traumatic upbringing & do some good in the world. What’s more, by him sparing goff, it shows how far he’s come from the last mission when they were so quick to try & destroy starro at any cost (not to mention betraying at the team at the drop of a hat).

I think overall the series is a testament to what happens when the studios stop intervening & just let the creatives behind these productions work their magic. It’ll probably still be a good, long while before we ever get season two but I guarantee you when we finally do, there will be a lot of people out there doing that famous butt dance (or the one from the theme song). But regardless, the lesson here seems to be that we need to let the creative team actually bring their visions to life. Because when they do, you just might end up with something pretty amazing, something like peacemaker.